Indirect system of lighting



L. GALLAHER.

INDIRECT SYSTEM OF LIGHTING.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25. 1920.

1,363,583, Patented Dec. 28,1920.

Louis Gallahr; 6

UNITED STATES LOUIS GALLAHER, OF .PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

INDIRECT SYSTEM OF LIGHTING.

Speeification'of Letters Patent. Patented D 28 1920 Application filedFebruary 25, 1920. Serial No. 361,081.

* and has for its object to provide a system which will avoid theobjectionable glare, now encountered in present systems, while at thesame time make said systems more efficient in practice than thoseheretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the noveldetails of construction. and combinations of parts, more fullyhereinafter discloset and particijilarly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification, in which like numerals designate like parts in all theviews Figure l is a diagran'imatic side elevational view of a portion ofan automobile with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

1 indicates an automobile, or other vehicle, to which my invention isapplicable, 2 the radiator of said automobile, 3 the hood thereof, 4 thewind shield of said automobile, 5 the steering gear, and 6 and 7suitable reflectors for the lights 8 of said automobile.

Extending along the top of the hood portion of the automobile, andpreferably well up to the wind shield 4 thereof, I provide thereflectors 25 and 26, having the reflecting surfaces 9 and 10, whichlatter are of a dull finish. These said surfaces may be made of canvas,cotton cloth, they may consist of white painted surfaces or they may beof glass, porcelain or of any other substance which will give a whitereflecting sur face having a dull finish.

Suitably placed in relation to said surfaces 9 and 10 are the lampreflectors 6 and T, as shown, and the positions of said reflectors 6 and7, relative to the surfaces 9 and 10, are such that a ray of light, suchfor example as 12, 011 the one side of the machine, will be cut oil, bythe surface 10, from an observer on the opposite side of the machine;and a ray of light, such as 13, on the other side of the machine, willbe likewise cut off, by the surface 9, from an observer on the firstmentioned side of the machine.

The result is that, in no position of an observer in the road in frontof a machine can the direct rays from the lamps 8 be seen. Stated inother language, it is not possible for an observer in front of themachine to get a glare from the reflectors 6 and 7. On the other hand,said reflecting surfaces 9 and 1.0 are curved at their rear portions toform the reflecting surfaces v14 and 15, respectively, so that rays oflight such as 16 and 17 are readily reflected in substantially parallellines in front of the machine. The rays of light that are sent out fromthe reflectors 6 and 7 and which occupy positions intermediate of therays 12 and 1G, and intermediate of the rays 13 and 17, are reflectedfrom the surfaces 10 and 9, to the side of the road as will be readilyunderstood from the position of the rays 20.

Not only are the reflecting surfaces 9 and 10 extended to provide thecurved or parabolic surfaces ll and 15, but said surfaces 9 and 10 arefurther extended near their upper portions to provide the curvedportions 20 and 21 respectively, which serve to reflect the rays 22 and23 downwardly into the road, on each side of the machine.

It will now be clear that owing to the peculiar shape of the reflectors25 and 26, and to the peculiar positions of the lamp reflectors 6 and 7,it is not possible to get a direct view of the lamps 8 when one is infront, or to the side of the machine, no matter what position he may bein.

On the other hand, since the power plant of the machine may be drawnupon to sup ply as strong rays as are necessary to reflect the properamount of illumination from the reflectors 25 and 26, I am enabled tolight up the road with as great a brilliancy as may be required.

It is obvious that this indirect system of lighting may be applied toother purposes than automobiles, or wheeled vehicles, and it is furtherobvious that the reflectors 25 tha those shown, and theref do, ed to belimited in the S111Q'(9J-l(5(2} )i3 as may be required by the ilZLlID'S.

lVhat I claim is 1. The combination with an automobile having a hood ofa reflecting rtaee e1 tending; lengthwise of said hood no having a nnishincapable of ring a f'ltllO; a source of light located to one side oiand reflecting; light across a portion of szi'ff hood, onto said.surface, and a shield rendering said source of light incapable of beingseen b3, direct vision sulstantially as described The combination withan an having a hood of areflecting surface t ing' along the top of andlengthwise said hood, and having a dull finish; a source of lightlocated to one side of salt surface, normally reflecting light across;said hood onto said surface; and means I said source aoapted to preventinn; seen from in front of said by direct visioln substai hilly Thecombination with an of a curved reflecting surface di gitudinally f thehood of said autoim and having; a dull finish; a source oi? hr locatedto one side of said surface; and inclosure n'eventing said source aid ofsaid surface from being; front of or to one side of said by directvision, suhstantiall a rihed The combination with an autoiuobi c of apair of reflecting surfaces haying-2; straight and curved portions dis"ed iongitudinally of the hood of said an. nobile;

t urce of light for each of said surfaces; means to shield each of saidsources an direct vision from in front of: said. automobile,substantially as described.

The combination with an automobile of a pair of reflecting surfaceshaving straight and curved portions disposed 1ongitrulinally of thehood. of said automobile, one of said reflecting surfaces being adaptedto deflect the light in a downward direction; a source of light for andlocated to one side each of said surfaces; and means to shield each ofsaid sources from direct vision from in front of said automobile,substantially as described.

(3. The combination with an automobile tur'linally of the hood of saidautomohib; .1 lamp located in front of the windshield near the rear endof said hood and adapted Eight the road by reflection from said suranda, shield for said lamp so post that direct rays from said lamp canseenfrom in front of said automobile, .iitially as described.

7. The combination with an automobile o" a white reflecting surfacedisposed longitudinally of the hood, provided with straight and curvedportions; a lamp located to one side of said surface and adapted tolight the road by reflection from said surface; and a 'eld for said lampso positioned that direct gs from said lamp cannot be seen from in if"out of said automobile, substantially as described.

la: testimony whereof I affix my signature.

LOUIS GALLAI'IER.

